Fansided

Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera collects 1,000th extra-base hit

By Jeff Hawkins

Jun 28, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; General view as Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez (41) bats in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 28, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; General view as Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez (41) bats in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Just the fourth active player to achieve the milestone, Miguel Cabrera clubbed his 1,000th career extra-base hit Friday night. Who said the Detroit Tigers’ superstar is starting to slow down?

The curveball angled down toward his ankles. Miguel Cabrera simply reached down and slashed the Derek Holland offering into left-center field Friday night at Comerica Park. The two-run double was his 1,000th career extra-base hit and ignited the inconsistent Tigers to a 15-5 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox.

Cabrera is just the 39th player in major league history (and fourth active) to reach the milestone. In the first inning Friday, Cabrera laced a RBI double off the besieged White Sox starter.

On both doubles, Nicholas Castellanos hustled home from first base. (Good thing the Tigers’ third baseman put in the extra conditioning last off-season.)

As summer approaches, it appears Cabrera is warming up. Like last season, the future Hall of Famer endured a cool spring. The Detroit News reported Friday he could be playing with a nagging injury, sustained during the preseason World Baseball Classic. “It’s kind of a mixed bag,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said via The Detroit News. “You want players who can play through aches and pains. But if there’s a problem, you want them to tell you.”

Cabrera entered Saturday hitting .260, which is 60 points lower than his career average. Over the course of his 15-year career, he is averaging more than 30 homers annually. He has five in 40 starts this season.

From his approach Friday, however, the 2012 Triple Crown winner looks like he is beginning to find his groove. Just like 2016. Last April his batting average hovered around .210. In 62 at-bats, his power numbers were fizzling with just one homer. But beginning with a torrid June, Cabrera finished the campaign with a .316 batting average, 38 homers and 108 RBI.

Next: MLB Power Rankings: 30 Best 1B of All-Time

For the Tigers to rebound from its sluggish May and regain status as a contender in an otherwise wide-open Central Division over the next few seasons, Cabrera will need to continue his assault on the record books. He is 443 hits short of 3,000 and 49 homers shy of 500.

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